McPherson County walk-in hunting (WIHA): Kansas 2026-27 tracts, acres and map
McPherson County has 4 Walk-In Hunting Access tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, 524 acres in all, 0.1% of the county's land. That ranks 91st of Kansas's 105 counties for WIHA acres. Most tracts are open Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 (2 tracts). 2 tracts are archery and shotshell only.
Data updated October 2026. Walk-in: KDWP's Walk-In Hunting Access layer for 2026-27. Land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 and agency area maps.
KDWP landState park or recreation areaOther publicWalk-in (WIHA)McPherson CountyWildlife areaLakeHighway
| WIHA tracts, 2026-27 | 4 |
|---|---|
| WIHA acres | 524 (0.1% of the county) |
| Largest tracts | 159, 151, 134, 80 acres |
| Public land | 6,943 acres (1.2%) |
| Deer units | Unit 6 and Unit 4 |
| KDWP region | Region 3 |
| Towns | McPherson, Lindsborg, Moundridge, Inman, Galva and Canton |
When are McPherson County's walk-in tracts open?
Each WIHA tract is open to the public only during its lease period, shown on the sign at the tract and in KDWP's atlas. McPherson County's 4 tracts by lease period:
| Lease period | Tracts | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | 2 | 310 |
| Sept. 1 to May 31 | 1 | 134 |
| Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | 1 | 80 |
2 tracts (231 acres) are marked archery and shotshell only, so no rifle or slug hunting there. Tracts open until May 31 or March 31 cover the spring turkey season or late winter; tracts that close Jan. 31 do not.
Lease periods and the archery/shotshell mark: KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts (KDWP's legend codes, read against its 2026 contract list).
What does KDWP list on the tracts?
Species named in KDWP's tract records for McPherson County, by number of tracts: turkey 3, deer 3, furbearers 3, pheasant 3 and quail 3. A tract with no species named is still open to all hunting in season during its lease period.
Where are the biggest walk-in tracts in McPherson County?
The 4 largest tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 map, each placed by the nearest town:
| Acres | Where | Deer unit | Lease period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 159 | 3 mi north of Buhler | Unit 6 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail, furbearers |
| 152 | 3 mi southeast of McPherson | Unit 6 | Sept. 1 to Jan. 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: deer, turkey, pheasant, quail, furbearers |
| 134 | 6 mi southeast of Marquette | Unit 6 | Sept. 1 to May 31 | Species listed: deer, turkey, furbearers |
| 80 | 3 mi northwest of Galva | Unit 6 | Nov. 1 to Jan. 31 | Archery and shotshell only; Species listed: pheasant, quail |
Tracts: KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts; towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places. Use KDWP's Hunting Atlas or the Go Outdoors Kansas app to find each tract's signs and parking.
What public land is in McPherson County?
USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps show 6,943 acres of public land in the county, 1.2% of it. The walk-in tracts cover less ground: 524 acres. Wildlife areas with a page: McPherson Valley Wetlands Wildlife Area (4,434 acres here), Ferris Wildlife Area (163 acres here) and McPherson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area (123 acres here).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| KDWP land | 6,943 | 1.2% |
| Other public (not counted as hunting land) | 190 | under 0.1% |
| State park or recreation area (not counted as hunting land) | 79 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the Census county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee and designation lands with open or restricted public access) and KDWP wildlife areas; the water of the larger reservoirs is left out.
Which deer units cover McPherson County?
McPherson County is split between 2 deer units. A deer hunter on a walk-in tract needs a permit valid in the unit the tract lies in.
| Deer unit | Share of the county | Deer harvested (whole unit) | WIHA acres (whole unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 6 | 95.2% | 2,888 (2021) | 5,644 |
| Unit 4 | 4.8% | 2,752 (2021) | 29,342 |
How does McPherson County compare with the counties around it?
Walk-in acres and public land in the 7 counties that touch McPherson County, most walk-in land first:
| County | WIHA acres | WIHA tracts | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dickinson County | 8,263 | 38 | 0.3% |
| Saline County | 7,528 | 24 | 0% |
| Reno County | 4,960 | 39 | 0.7% |
| Ellsworth County | 3,679 | 20 | 3.9% |
| Harvey County | 467 | 2 | 0% |
| Marion County | 0 | 0 | 0.8% |
| Rice County | 0 | 0 | 0.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many walk-in hunting acres are in McPherson County, Kansas?
524 acres on 4 tracts on KDWP's 2026-27 Walk-In Hunting Access map, 0.1% of the county.
Can you deer hunt on WIHA in McPherson County?
Yes, during each tract's lease period and the deer seasons, with the permit for the deer unit the tract is in (Unit 6 and Unit 4). 2 tracts are archery and shotshell only. WIHA tracts take walk-in hunters only; trapping is not part of the program.
Is there public land in McPherson County?
6,943 acres, 1.2% of the county, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP area maps, mostly KDWP land. Wildlife areas here: McPherson Valley Wetlands Wildlife Area, Ferris Wildlife Area and McPherson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area.
Walk-in rules to know
- No access outside a tract's lease period; stay inside the tract's signed boundary.
- Walk-in only: park where it does not block roads, gates or driveways.
- No baiting, trail cameras or commercial guiding; trapping is not part of WIHA.
- iWIHA tracts need check-in and check-out in the Go Outdoors Kansas app.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 56 and page 7.
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Where these numbers come from
- Walk-in tracts: KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts.
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1. County line: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic boundary counties.
- Deer unit harvest: KDWP deer harvest by unit (2017 to 2021).
FilledTag is not part of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Tracts change every season; the sign on the tract is the final word.